Obama Raises 'serious Concerns' About FEC Nominee

Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) has "serious concerns" about whether Hans von Spakovsky, who was nominated by President Bush for a seat on the Federal Election Commission, should serve on the panel.

Obama, in a letter today to Sens. Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Robert Bennett (R-Utah), the chairwoman and ranking member of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, questioned whether von Spakovsky, during his tenure at the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division and Fulton County Registration and Election Board in Georgia, acted in an overly partisan manner in supporting an voted ID law in Georgia, a Republcian=backed redistricting plan in Texas in 2003, and efforts by Missouri officials to push voter rolls.

"Unless Mr. von Spakovsky can provide legitimate explanations for his conduct in these matters, I believe that he should not be confirmed to this important position," Obama said.